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Food aromas are enticing when they're cooking on the stove, but quickly become unappealing when they linger into the next day and beyond. Many homeowners struggle with stubborn smells in their kitchen cabinets. A few techniques -- ranging in scope from minor to major -- help get to the root of unpleasant smells for a cleaner house.

Natural Solutions

Vinegar is a household cleaning cure-all. In addition to cleaning and disinfecting, it has deodorizing properties. Fill a shallow bowl with white or cider vinegar and set it in the foul-smelling cabinet. The odor should be gone by morning. If the scent of vinegar doesn't appeal to you, mix in a fragrant essential oil such as tea tree, peppermint or orange. Each of these has additional antibacterial agents. Charcoal is another solution; when placed in a kitchen cabinet, a lump of charcoal is excellent at odor absorption. Silica gel, a naturally occurring mineral, is effective at combating musty smells, particularly during damp weather. Leave a few packets in your cabinets and let them absorb bacteria.

A Stronger Approach

Sometimes basic natural solutions aren't enough to get rid of bad odors. When smelly cabinets don't respond to gentler solutions, try mixing a solution of 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol into 1 pint of mineral oil. Wipe down the insides and outsides of cabinets and drawers to banish the smell almost immediately. This not only wipes away bad smells but seals the wood to prevent new odors from forming. Unlike paint, this gentler solution preserves cabinets while offering extra protection.

Desperate Measures

When attempting to clean a surface or rid a room of smells, homeowners should start with the gentlest solutions and progressively move to stronger treatments if initial attempts prove ineffective. If smells persist, it is likely mold or mildew has penetrated the wood and it's time to turn to a more powerful solution: bleach. Using a spray bottle or bucket and rag, thoroughly saturate the cabinets, reaching into every corner and crack. Let it soak for at least 15 minutes, then use a sponge to wipe the surface. Be sure to wear gloves and old clothes when working with bleach as it can cause permanent stains. If the smell of bleach becomes overpowering, a few drops of essential oil tempers the odor.

Maintaining a Fresh Scent

Some odors stick around because homeowners treat the effect of the smell as opposed to the source. While air fresheners disguise unpleasant odors, they don't do anything to counteract the cause of the smell. Fragrance sprays just mask the problem, while products that deodorize and disinfect get to the root of the smell.

About the Author

Joanna Hughes received a Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins and a Master of Fine Arts from Cornell, both in writing. She loves writing about style, fashion, entertainment and home decor, and will take a can of spray paint to just about anything. She has written for "Baltimore Magazine," "Scottsdale Living Magazine" and many others.